Online Meeting Tips & Manners

Since most of the world is closed, online meetings are everywhere and not everyone is ready for that. We no longer have individual small talk before or after meetings to show people who we really are, prepare them for our ideas, or apologize for any misunderstandings. We truly have one chance at a first impression - so make it a good one. The following tips may help:

1. Appearance – Get dressed. Really, get dressed. Baseball hats and hoodies are just not acceptable attire. Dress for your target audience as you would in person; don’t forget the smile and positive attitude. Remember, everyone can see EVERYTHING you do! Also, make sure your background is professional and the lighting is sufficient. If possible, take advantage of the virtual background options available on many platforms. You can even add your logo and a few key points about your business (a green screen, or green blanket, might be required).
2. Minimize Distractions – First, mute yourself. This improves the audio quality for everyone. It also mitigates the dog barking, kids screaming, and prevents the mishap of a whisper that isn’t a whisper. On Zoom, you can hold down your space bar while talking to un-mute temporarily. Handy, right? I also suggest closing other windows open on your screen, avoid texting, watch the speaker and stay seated. You wouldn’t get up for a drink, a snack and 2 bathroom breaks in an hour meeting in person, don’t do it online either.
3. Speaking - Be concise. I have seen multiple studies showing that people are even more exhausted by online meetings than in person, which means our attention spans are even shorter than before. It is imperative to be concise. Know your message well and share it clearly. Especially in a networking situation, share your elevator pitch in 30 seconds or less. The objective is to be noticed and make people want to speak with you - not share your life story, not share every single service you offer and definitely not sell!

This pandemic has changed our world forever in so many ways. As the world re-opens, many online meetings will continue, so we should learn to navigate them more effectively. I hope that these tips are useful and wish you all the best for success!